THE WHITE MONKEY 211
trick worth twenty of any played in the war—an extra-
ordinarily valuable fellow. The Government have got their
eye on him. He'll help the other valuable fellows in France
and Germany and America and Russia to make history.
Between them, they'll do something really proud—some-
thing that'll knock all the other achievements of man into
a cocked hat. By the way, Michael, new device of ' Homo
sapiens 9—the cocked hat."
" Well," said Michael, " what are you going to do about
it ? "
Sir Lawrence's eyebrow sought his hair.
" Do, my dear fellow ? What should I do ? Can I go
out and grab him and the Government by the slack of their
breeches ; yes, and all the valuable fellows and Govern-
ments of the other countries ? No ! All I can do is to
smoke my cigar and say : e God rest you, merry gentlemen,
let nothing you dismay !' By hook or crook, they will
come into their own, Michael; but in the normal course
of things I shall be dead before they do."
" I shan't," said Michael.
" No, my dear ; but think of the explosions, the sights,
the smells. By Jove, you've got something to live for, yet.
Sometimes I wish I were your age. And sometimes," Sir
Lawrence relighted his cigar, " I don't. Sometimes I think
I've had enough of our pretences, and that there's nothing
left but to die like gentlemen."
" Some Jeremiad, Dad ! "
" Well," said Sir Lawrence, with a twirl of his little
grizzled moustache, " I hope I'm wrong. But we're driving
fast to a condition of things when millions can be killed by
the pressing of a few buttons. What reason is there to
suppose that our bumps of benevolence will increase in time
to stop our using these great new toys of destruction,
Michael!"